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For over 23 years, Mariela Blanco has been an intricate part of the Nassau Inn family. As the Director of Sales, she a supporter of working in a close-knit team environment and building upon the longevity of the staff. To Mariela, family and tradition go hand in hand – whether that be her work family or immediate family.

Mariela, her son & daughter

Her “family first” mentality runs in her Uruguayan blood where she is originally from, and while most of her family is from South America, she moved to the United States with her parents and sister many years back. She dedicates the holidays to celebrating with her family every year and instilling those same family values in her children.

After attending church as a family, they celebrate the holidays at Mariela’s house for her specialty cocktail reception full of festive foods, champagne and wine!

It is tradition for her family members to go around the table with celebratory recognition towards each other’s’ accomplishments. “We’re big on giving cheers to everyone’s successes. I’m very proud of my daughter and son!” she said. Her son is a sophomore at Montclair State University and her daughter will be attending college next year. She recently performed in her last Nutcracker which she has been dancing in for years. They end the night with a gift exchange.

Mariela moved to the shore recently, and her decorations are a fun holiday beach theme!

Mariela and her daughter, Daniela, with their two beloved dogs, Sophia & Buddy!

Cheers to the holidays. Wishing you lots of joy and peace!

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

Nicole and Christine are sweethearts who go a long way back. “We definitely don’t have a typical love story,” Nicole said. “We attended the same small grade school and high school, and had a lot of mutual friends and activities during that time, so we were in each other’s lives for almost 20 years before we became a couple.

We were both cast in an alumni summer theater production at our old high school. We were friendly with each other, but not quite friends until we volunteered to work on the costume committee together. Several costuming weekends (and a few drinks) later, we were inseparable. We quickly realized we both wanted our relationship to turn into something more. Christine proposed during a trip to Disney World, and shortly after, we decided to hold our wedding at the beautiful Nassau Inn.

Aside from being an overall wonderful town, Princeton has always been a special place for us. We both grew up taking day trips to the shops and restaurants in Palmer Square with our respective families, and since we got together, we’ve loved coming down here for date nights. Nassau Inn was the first wedding venue we toured, and as soon as we stepped inside and met with Melissa, we knew we didn’t have to look any further.

Our friends and family still tell us what a great time they had at our wedding. Thank you for helping us make our big day so special!”

Not only are Nicole and Christine an extremely sweet and vibrant couple, but they are also an inspiration to Melissa Dill, our Sales & Catering Manager. “Nicole and Christine are great people, and made working here so wonderful! They’re the reason why I’m here,” said Melissa.

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

The count-down is officially on and Princeton is looking quite magical. The Palmer Square tree has been lit for a week and if you’re like many of us, you are probably busy with the traditional decking of the halls! To provide you some inspiration, we took a moment to ask our staff how they like to decorate and celebrate this festive season!

Jamie Volkert, Marketing & Business Development Manager

Jamie loves to host holiday parties all season long, entertaining around 30-40 people per party. “I do an open-house on Christmas day, a holiday cookie exchange, and the New Year’s Eve kid-friendly bash, which I really like. It’s low key, the kids enjoy it, so I enjoy it!”

Growing up, her grandfather was passionate about Christmas decorating. “We would cover the house with thousands and thousands of lights, and not the multi-colored lights, but the little white ones. My pop also had the two Christmas trees side by side with the train tracks in a figure 8 underneath, it was a tradition he kept from his childhood and raised us with.” Her aunts still carry on that tradition in the house she grew up in.

“My mother was huge on Christmas, and every year it was so amazing and magical. Unfortunately she passed away, but I try to create that same magic for my kids,” she said.

Now she and her family have a tradition of chopping down their own “perfect” tree and then exchanging meaningful ornaments. “Every ornament on our tree has a story and we always share those stories as we decorate it – in fact if you ask my daughter she could tell you every one. A lot of the ornaments came from my mother, so telling the stories keeps her with us all season long.”

Lupe Bergin, In House Designer & Manager of Yankee Doodle Tap Room

“During my childhood, we would visit the tree farm and go through aisles and aisles, until finally finding a tree that our father thought was perfect! After cutting it down, we would bring it home to decorate, and string popcorn across the tree. It was really pretty! We would also eat cookies and drink hot cocoa by the tree,” said Lupe.

“For dinner, we had this amazing Cuban tradition in my family! We’d roast a pig with an apple in its mouth, and marinate it with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic! Our family members would take turns and rotate shifts, where we’d marinate and turn the pig for 4 hours straight. It had to be watched very carefully, and we couldn’t have it too close to the fire. It was worth every hour! It was so good!!! The roast pig would have a delicious crispy skin (my favorite part), and it was tender on the inside.” She and her family would gather at the dinner table… all fourteen to sixteen of them. “There was always wine and tequila at the table,” she said. “Then at 12 o’clock, we’d go to mass.”
“We used to always have three trees, but I moved recently, so there’s a fake one outside by the overhang. Our family still gets together… The older ones have passed on, but my brother comes over, and there are children and grandchildren. For Christmas, I make tenderloins, lobster, and crab – like surf and turf! There’s still tequila and wine at the dinner table, and we still go to mass at midnight. After mass, we come home to play Scrabble and all kinds of games with the kids, who aren’t really kids anymore, but more like young adults. And, that’s it!”

Annetta Hall, Reservations Manager

“I usually go visit my mother’s house in Florida, where there’s a real tree, and I spend the holidays there. Back here, we have an artificial tree, and on the side, there’s a village filled with houses that I’ve collected for years! …Since my boys were around 10 years old! Some of the decorations are long-standing pieces from when I got them 20 years ago. My favorite piece in the village is the lit house, which turns multiple colors. There’s a snow slope with little people coming down!” said Annetta, who is featured in her winning ugly sweater from Nassau Inn’s holiday party last year!

Jaime Wolf, Catering Sales Manager

“Every year, we go to the Breakfast with Santa and take pictures, go ice skating, and cut down our tree. Then at home, we put up the lights, decorate the fence, and drink hot cocoa if it’s snowing outside!” said Jaime.

“We decorate the whole house, make a nice Beef Wellington, and put up stocking for each family member – me and my husband, our 5 year old daughter, and our two dogs. Then we go to Philly for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is an Italian-American celebration of Christmas Eve. We also love to see the crazy lights at Hamilton’s Winter Wonderland in Kuser Park!”

Zach Strong, Front Desk Agent

“My family holiday traditions consist of getting the tree from the farm every year, and cutting it down. Going through the storage unit at home, and getting decorations out of the boxes. Drinking hot cocoa, and decorating the house with my family. It’s really fun!” said Zach.

Ryan Halbasch, Associate Director of Sales

“We don’t have a tradition because every year’s something different!” said Ryan. “My wife usually does the decorations, and we like to use clear lights. We used to chop down a tree, but now we go with an artificial one because it’s not as messy!”

What are your holiday decorating traditions? Share in the comments below! We’re looking forward to our traditional Breakfast with Santa, Christmas Dinner Buffet, and exciting holiday parties. When you’re in town this magical season, be sure to visit us!

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

It’s Thanksgiving week, and the beginning of Princeton’s most festive time of year. We are especially thankful for our dedicated chefs and the guests they look forward to serving every Thanksgiving at the Inn. Before all the hustle and bustle, they share their favorite Thanksgiving traditions, dishes and tips with you! Enjoy!

Left to right: Manuel, Jermaine, Edward

“I have three kids at home, four sisters, two brothers – it’s a big family, and I’m extremely thankful for them. We’re a close bunch and see each other almost every day. Thanksgiving is nice, because I get to come home to my family, eat delicious home-cooked meals, and go bowling. A few of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes include roast turkey, beef, stuffed chicken, and sweet potato,” said Manuel Torres, our Sous Chef of 27 years.

“I love being home with family, conversing, and having a good time with one another,” said Jermaine Turner, our Chef of 7 years. “I also make an awesome baked macaroni… I add evaporated milk, egg, salt, pepper, sharp cheese, mild cheese to roux, and let it slow cook at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, covered. Then I cook it for another ten minutes uncovered. It tastes like h-e-a-v-e-n.”

“I’m thankful for the good health of my family,” said Edward Popp, our Banquet Cook of 8 years. “My mom also doesn’t let me cook on Thanksgiving, so it’s nice to come home to the traditional holiday dishes. You know – turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. I love her cooking!”

“On Thanksgiving, I like to watch football, spend time with family, and enjoy a late night turkey sandwich with stuffing, lettuce, and mayonnaise on a crusty Italian bread!” said Michael LaCorte, our Executive Chef of 4 years.

“My favorite thing is waking up and watching football. I’m a big fan of the Detroit Lions,” said Steven Fitch, our Sous Chef of 4 years. “I cook for family, and we have the traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and my favorite – biscuits. I love gravy piled on top of everything!” Steve also makes home-made mashed potatoes, and the recipe is very simple and delicious. “I add butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper.” For his turkey, he adds a lot of butter, and a dash of rosemary and thyme, before roasting it in the oven.

We hope you enjoyed meeting our chefs, who will be serving Yankee Doodle Tap Room’s traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday! The #YDTR wishes you a great Thanksgiving filled with food, love, family and friends!

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

Giving to others.
“Oh jeez, I can’t remember the last time I celebrated since I’m usually working!” said Colleen Kasian, Food & Beverage Supervisor at our Tap Room of 1 year and 2 months. During Thanksgiving, she makes the holiday experience special for guests at our YDTRThanksgiving Buffet. From her past memories of the holiday, she recalls dinner with her mom’s side of the family. They would drive to her grandmother’s house. “It’s a big family. My mom’s the youngest of her siblings. We’d have the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, and my favorite—the stuffing!”

Feasting.
Matthew Hendricks, our server, really likes to feast on Thanksgiving. “And I mean FEAST,” he said. It is tradition for his family to do arts & crafts, drink wine, and enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes and their family’s favorite stuffing. “It has a delightful crunchy top, but is soft on the inside, and with some gravy… oh man!” They would always have an amazing dessert table filled with delicious sweets. “Apple pie, pecan pie, cookies, vanilla ice cream… My grandma is a bit of a chocoholic.” He likes to hang out with the younger kids at their table and also hear the older people reminisce about old days and current events. Matthew’s favorite part about the holiday is falling asleep on the couch after being stuffed with food and wine while football plays on TV.

Time with Family.
“My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is being with family,” said Josh Jean-Charles our bus boy. He loves the simple and sweet enjoyment of spending time together, eating, and then cozily falling asleep.

Watching Football and the Parade.
“My favorite tradition is watching football and the parade at my parent’s house,” said Rayne Lewis, our Food & Beverage Manager who’s been with us for 12 years.

Prepping the Day Before.
“My favorite tradition is prepping with my sister. The day before Thanksgiving, we clean the house, turn up the music, put up decorations, and prepare food while our mom is at work,” said Julie Heise, our breakfast and lunch server of 7 years. She feels very happy to be able to spend the holidays being productive with her sister, whom she almost lost to leukemia on several occasions. “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s relaxing to be surrounded by good company, and I get to enjoy my mom’s chestnut stuffing. It’s amazing. She boils the chestnuts hot and gets the meat out. I really need to figure out what it is she does! She makes a vegetarian version just for me. I’m also really excited about the holidays because my brother, who’s a veteran, is coming home for Thanksgiving this year!”

Julie (bottom right) and her family

What’s your story on favorite holiday traditions? Share with us, and tag #YDTR! Our kitchen staff will share their favorite holiday dishes in the next post. Stay tuned!

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

Thanksgiving is on the horizon, the trees outside will soon be adorned with lights, and decorative ornaments will fill window displays. It’s the ideal time for throwing a holiday party. If you want to be the office hero and plan an awesome party sure to be hash-tagged and talked about for months, follow these 5 simple holiday planning tips!

Start early. To ensure best availability, pick a venue and book your party ahead of time. If you haven’t done so already, get off the computer and make some calls. There’s still time to book your perfect party! For next year, mark your calendars for July. Venues often like to run Christmas in July promos, offering great packages and best availabilities.

Timing. A great option for companies who are busy during holiday season and those on a tight budget is to host a luncheon or celebration during off-peak hours. Venues tend to be more flexible in pricing if you have a post-holiday party in January. You may also get lucky and have upgrades thrown in!

Location. Select a venue that is already festive; with the time and money you save on decorations, you’ll have more to invest on entertainment. Live music is always a crowd pleaser!

Menu. The most festive of menus is the reception style which encourages mingling. For easy planning, go with venues that have inclusive packages already designed for you. Don’t forget to consider your guests’ dietary needs prior to notifying your venue and making menu choices to ensure most people can be accommodated!

Give. The gift of giving will never go out of style, especially this season. Personalized take-home treats for guests can be sweet, but consider donating to a local charity in lieu of favors, and give them something to feel good about!

Happy holidays! Remember to have fun and take pictures. If you are looking for a place to host a party, check out our 2016 Holiday Specials and Party Packages. Let’s get this party started!

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

Now that it’s the cold, crisp and beautiful month of November, it’s time to savor darker, flavorful and seasonal brews.

John Ryan, our beer aficionado, has been with us at the Nassau Inn for over six years. He loves rich, dark beers, especially in the fall. If you’re wondering what drinks to try, he can easily find your perfect match! Here are his Top 5 Cold Weather Beers!

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale: A seasonal favorite, with subtle spiced flavors, and a crisp, refreshing aroma reminiscent of leaves and fall. If you like a darker, spiced taste, try this as a Guinness Black and Tan.

Samuel Adams Octoberfest: Amber colored, seasonal craft beer, with a roasted malt taste and sweet notes of caramel and toffee. This American award winning beer is a huge crowd pleaser for its time of the year.

Rogue Dead Guy Ale: Colder weather calls for darker styles; if you enjoy malty lagers, then you’ll love this Maibock. It has a deep color and a strong flavor that is nutty, malty and sweet. This ale is one of Rogue’s most popular drinks.

The Shed Brewery’s Mountain Ale: An English Style Brown Ale from Vermont, great for the slopes. It has a mouthfeel like Porter, but drinks like a rough brown with just enough bitterness.

Spellbound Brewing’s Palo Santo Porter: Aged with smoked wood, this dark style Porter tastes earthy and smoky. Its mouthfeel is creamy, and at the back end, you’ll enjoy the aroma of chocolate, vanilla, anise and even hints of mint.

‘Tis the season to be warm, cozy and festive! Come and try these cold weather beers at the Yankee Doodle Tap Room. Still not sure what to try? Just ask us!

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

In-person meetings provide an invaluable opportunity for colleagues to collaborate and build relationships. Let us help you create a meaningful experience in one of Nassau Inn’s thirteen versatile meeting rooms!

New to meeting planning? Nassau Inn’s Conference Service Manager, Kyle Pitts, has been with us for 5 years and shares his top 5 meeting planning tips to get you started. Follow his advice and you will look like you have been meeting planning for years!

One of the first people you will be in touch with when you call to plan your meeting is your Conference Service or Catering Sales Manager. This person is your lifeline. They will guide you through the planning process from start to finish. Make sure to share all the details and concerns you have up-front, and ask lots of questions.

Determining your headcount can be tricky when you first begin to plan, however, a good estimate is essential to ensure you have the proper room size. If you have a few people you are unsure of, it is best to include them in the count so that the room selected is the right size for your maximum number of guests. Keep in mind, your final guarantee is not due until closer to the event and you will be able to adjust your numbers by up to 30%.

Don’t let hunger interrupt your team’s focus. Our EMP package provides meals as well as a morning and afternoon break with snacks. People are more productive and energetic when fueled with healthy meals and snacks! Be sure to ask your guests if they have any dietary restrictions before you provide your final head count. We can always accommodate allergies and special requests.

Do you have a presentation? Will you be bringing a Mac or PC laptop? Let us know these details so we can ensure you a successful audio visual presentation. It’s always a good idea to do a practice test before the meeting should your schedule allow.

Room set up can be one of the most confusing aspects of planning! This should be determined based on what style meeting you are conducting and is one of the first questions you will need to answer when booking a room. The U-shaped set up is great for small-medium size meetings with projector presentations, and allows for interaction amongst colleagues.
Classroom style works well for larger team meetings and lecture presentations. A pod set up is also great for larger group meetings that will eventually break down into smaller team huddles. If you are unsure what setup to go with, your sales manager can offer advice based on your meeting needs.

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.

Kendra and John fell in love when their lives crossed paths. “We met through a mutual friend while both visiting NYC for the weekend,” Kendra says. “He was in Lambertville and I was up in Boston, but after 1 ½ years of long distance we moved to Princeton together! We were all over the map on where to get married and then realized that one of our favorite things to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning is to just to walk around town and see what’s going on. A lot of my friends and family have never been to Princeton so I figured this would be a perfect way for them to see the town that I’ve come to call my home. With all the activities going on in town; live music in Palmer Square, shopping and walking campus, no one needed to get in their car all weekend once they arrived, and that was very important to both of us. Plus, we just love being able to walk by the exact spot where we said ‘I do’ and reminisce about the best day of our lives.”

“They’re a Princeton classic. Very sweet and charming. When you look at them, you just know,” said Melissa Dill, Sales & Catering Manager at the Nassau Inn.

About the Author: Lily Lee is the Marketing Assistant at the historical Nassau Inn. She graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications, minor in Digital Information & Media, and a passion for English and creative writing.